Taney County is the only first-class county in Missouri without a public library system. The Branson area already has a library — but it’s a private organization. It began as a woman-led library club back in the 1930s.
Now, director Marcia Schemper-Carlock says that Taneyhills Library will close by the end of this year if it doesn’t secure an 18-cent property tax levy, which goes before Taney County voters on August 8.
“So the majority of our income is coming from our on-site retail operations, such as a thrift store and a used bookstore," Schemper-Carlock says. "And that is no longer a sustainable model.”
A decade ago, 65 percent of Taney County voters said no to a public library system. But Schemper-Carlock says she’s cautiously optimistic it’ll be different this time. KSMU caught up with her hours before she pitched the public library concept to the Branson Board of Aldermen on Tuesday night.
“When people find out that we intend to close at the end of this year, they are stunned..." Schemper-Carlock says. "And you know, as a person said to me 10 years ago when the levy failed, what does it say about a town that doesn’t have a public library?”
If the levy is successful, it would only tax property owners within the boundaries of the Branson and Hollister school districts, where Schemper-Carlock says 80 percent of Taneyhills Library members live. Supporters of the levy say the average homeowner in that area would pay about $59 per year.
Schemper-Carlock says Taneyhills lost about a third of its volunteer base due to COVID-19 concerns, even as the library is popular in the community. This year, several hundred kids are participating in summer reading programs, up 10 to 15 percent from last year.
